The big picture - which consists 4 separate, juried fairs (Ann Arbor Street Art Fair, the Original, the State Street Area Art Fair, the Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair, and Ann Arbor's South University Art Fair) that happen simultaneously - will inevitably look familiar to Ann Arbor Art Fair regulars; but according to Street Art Fair director Maureen Riley, young, new artists are playing an increasingly significant role in the annual event.

"There's lots of new work this year," Riley said. "In talking among all of (the fair's directors), there are lots of new artists, younger artists. … The baby boomer artists are aging out. … It's a transition that's happening all over the country, not just in Ann Arbor. Baby boomers are at the retirement age, so I think, in particular, I've been noticing this year that that curve is really starting to happen. It has been happening for a while, but it's now becoming more noticeable."

"Every year, there's new artists coming in," said Summer Art Fair director Debra "Max" Clayton. "We're now seeing a younger component coming in, but our regular artists are also changing things up. That's what great about the fair is that it encourages them to experiment and try new things. We draw a sophisticated audience, and the artists appreciate that and respond accordingly."

You might wonder whether the directors themselves get the chance to browse and purchase works at the fair each year, and in the case of Riley and Clayton, the answer seems to be a resounding "yes."

"I have to not have my credit card in my pocket sometimes, so I won't over-purchase," said Riley, who noted that in addition to usually purchasing a piece of jewelry, she's collected works of Kathrine Allen-Coleman, who works in mixed media collages and paintings, for the past 3 years.

"Last year I also bought a large ceramic piece for the mantel," said Riley. "I went a little overboard."

Clayton, meanwhile, puts aside a certain amount of money for purchases each year.

"Obviously I wouldn't be in this job if I didn't love art," Clayton said. "If you come to my home, you see - from wall to wall, and tabletop to tabletop, the work of Art Fair artists. And I know many of them personally, so when I'm on site, I usually blow my budget on the first day. I just cannot resist."

Indeed, Clayton and her husband faced a puzzle when they recently downsized by way of a move.

"It reminded us how fantastic this stuff is, and how much we enjoy living with it," Clayton said. " … There's a style of hanging art that's called studio style, where it's ceiling-to-floor. It turned out really nicely. I've been pretty excited by it. We've been able to put things together that weren't together before. And when you juxtapose art pieces, it speaks to you together, and when you look at it in your home, it tells a story about you. My story is that I'm truly, truly weird."

Riley is the newest art fair director on the block, having been on the job for 5 years. But her arrival marked the beginning of a fruitful, more comprehensive collaboration between the fairs' 4 directions. (Maggie Ladd oversees the South University Art Fair, while Kathy Krick helms the State Street Area Art Fair.)

"The fairs always worked collectively, to a certain degree," Riley said. " … But it was definitely important to me to be part of the entire Art Fair."

If nothing else, it provides the directors with peers who relate to both their passion and frustrations.

"You plan and plan and plan, and you work on the fair for 362 days a year," said Clayton. "Everything's going along fine, but then the last week hits, and it's like a circus: last-minute changes; something's not being delivered; you can't find this sign. But that's part of the energy and organic nature of the event. … It creates its own kind of energy and humor and teamwork. We take a lot of pride in the event."

Jenn McKee is an entertainment reporter for The Ann Arbor News. Reach her at jennmckee@mlive.com or 734-623-2546, and follow her on Twitter @jennmckee.